The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-08
TEMPERANCE IN THE SOUTH
Governor Colquitt Talks to an Acton
Audience of Prohibition IN Georgia.
rhe Fight For and Against It-A Great Day
at Both of the Christian Camp Grounds
--Bethany's Interesting Services.

The management has for ten days been in great
distress over the meager receipts at the gate
Besides. there are not near many cottagers as
heretofore. This was accounted for in various
ways, chiefly by reason of the dry season. It
was agreed by the management that they were
not to blame for any lack Of interest, but
the farmers afraid to come. They
did not want to leave home for fear that
during the dry season a stray spark might de-
stroy fields. house aud barn. That accounts for
the absence OF the farm folk, but not for the
absence for the town and city folk But yester-
day was a great day the gate-not as good as
Sundays of last year, but good enough to make
the sad hearts of the association lighter. The
grounds were thronged with people. They came
hungry and the hotel had not provided against
the rush. Everything eaten up ia short
order by the first corners and those who came
later were compelled to assuage their hunger
with pop corn. peanuts and water Some got
nothing but water.
The first service of the day a regular
meeting held by Rev. Mr. Morgan, of Morris
town. At 1890 o'clock A. N. Governor Colquitt,
of Georgia, spoke Temperance in the South"
He was listened to with great attention. 1t
not a set speech, being careessly put together,
but it delivered in earnest telling way.
His manner is as unconventional as that of John
b. Cough, and in walking about the platform
his freedom of gesture reminded one somewha.
of that genius of the lecture platform. Gov.
Colqultt has little of the Southern drawl but the
little he has adds to rather than detracts from
his effectiveness a speaker.
who is it," asked the Governor. "that says
prohibition doesn't prohibitr The liquor seller!
And he is sorry. He is philanthropist who
is just selling liquor for the good of the com
n
joiced If we could satisfy him that prohibition
would actually prohibit And you and 1 know
that whatever this mans pretenses. he is glad
Co sell every glass of grog he can. You know,
too. that if more liquor were drunk. more
drunkards made by prohibition, he would go in
for prohibition. Don't be afraid of his opposi-
tion my friends in Indiana, when you come to
make the contest here.
Before the votewas taken in the city of At
lanta there was a large number of counties in
the State that had declared for prohibition.
Among these were Cobb county the north,
and Coweta to the south Atlanta could com
municate with either of them by telephone and
yet on the evening of the election the liquor
men scattered documents telling how dissatisfied
those people were with the vote they had taken
They said that at Marietta, in Cobb county all
the people were in sorrow. Men aud women
were wailing and praying for a chance to undo
the work they had done. When the news of
this circular reached Marietta bells
were rung and in ten minutes thousand
citizens rallied in a meeting, and sent word to
Atlanta that there was no truth in il, that they
been done. And l find IN here in Indiana,
seven hundred miles away, that they are living
about Atlanta AS in Georgia. in Indiana
and in Texas, are told that prohibition will
ruin the finances of the State: that public roads
would not be worked. school houses would not be
built, school teachers would not be paid. Why,
they said all that in Atlanta, and it made our
hearts quake over what would come to pass. In
Atlanta $56, 900 was received annually from Ii
censed groggeries. Take that away, they said. and
you can't build school houses. you can't educate
children.
for the education of the children of the land is
upon the saloon-keeper and the GROCERY.
Taxes! taxesl taxesi One school house on top
OF the hill and dozen groggeries at the bottom.
despise to argue this question upon the revenue
idea Why2 Because | respect my fellow men,
their virtue and lofty sentiment and despise to
come down and talk about money and revenue in
connection with home, and heart, and education.
1t is low, degrading basis. Money, money,
money! Get money. though God is defied and
hell be gained. There were $3.50 at stake in
Atlanta. l suppose you people up here think
we are nearer the torrid zone-were a warm,
impulsive people and don't calculate coolly
You people in the North do Oh, no. you are
cool-headsd. and you will sit down and calculate
with slate and pencil. Well. grant it, grant i'll
band DESTROYED, wife broken hearted. Money,
money! Give $4,000 in license for
Ind poll and and let home IAN and boy;
In this day are we to put down figures and tell
just how much soul is worth Christ pro-
pounded a question that has not yet been
answered, What shall it profit man if he gain
the whole world and lose his soulF But some of
these broad men who talk about enlightenment
and civilization tell you. They considered
that $50 900 in the city of Atlanta was sufficient
compensation for one hundred bows ruined
yearly, for numberless homes ruined forever
Yes. they said that's good investment
$50. coo! Is that your idea herel
The State of Indiana Is bound TO have
chance, and you are going TO have that argu-
Will it be made to have financial bearng-the
revenue to be drived from the sale of liquorl I
don't want to appeal to any such low sentiment
l want to appeal to the sentiment of every
who has been well begotten aud well-raised. I
would not want to live in city where people
could point to magnificent building and say,
Look what we have done in Indianapolis Yes,
say. a building the bricks of which laid in
mortar mixed with the blood of the human
heart. crushed out in agony.
In Atlanta we were first told that prob bition
would not prohiblt; second, that PROM btIon
would break down the public schools and third
that it would ruin business and the prosperity
of the city, There is made at the report
of each mayorality term a report of the condi-
ton of the city's finances and the general condi-
ton OF the city In wealth. prosperity. future
prospects. etc. That report is made by the
Mayor upon the outgoing OF his administration
If ex- Mayor Hiyer had told lie in these mat
ters every body in Atlanta would know il to be a
lie. ia response to all these evil predictions his
report said that more pupils had been sent
to the public schools than within any year
since the establishment of the public schools of
Atlanta Next, that the children better
dressed. apparently better fed than in any previ-
Gus period, and that there a general feeling
of mrth and cheerfulness among them. How
did it affect the trade of the city2 Every whole
sale and retail merchant had given him testi-
mony that the trade better in the first
twelve months following prohibition than ever
before In the history of the city, and that the
population was growing. petition is before
the Legislature now to extend the
limits of the city out half mile. Did it
raise the taxes to supply the $56,000l How did
you make that up2 Why. diminished the
rate of taxation; we took off one-eighth. We
didn't stop the schools, didn't off a
teacher, and had more surplus money in the
treasury at the close of that year than
In the exchequer before in any previous period
of the city's history.
''They said in addition to the revenue one
thing suppose that is going to frighten the peo-
pie of Indiana when they come take up this
question. They said personal rights and 'liber-
ty' would be assailed.
Did Their say anything about sumptuary
lawsp oueried Governor Cumback who was